Episode 181: SIBO & IBS - The Latest Research & Testing Options with Dr. Mark Pimentel
We’ve got a special episode for you today. Erin sits down with Dr. Mark Pimentel, researcher, clinician, and cofounder of Gemelli Biotech™, to discuss the latest research on IBS, SIBO, and new testing options for people who have struggled with these conditions. This is definitely a higher level podcast interview, so this episode is great for clinicians, practitioners, anyone who loves to geek out on gut health and research, or anyone who’s been struggling with IBS or SIBO and looking for answers. Erin and Mark discuss leading causes of IBS, the overlap of IBS & SIBO, why patients are often being dismissed in other practices, how the blood tests and breath tests for diagnosing these conditions work, why the treatment strategies are nuanced, and much more.
What makes Dr. Mark Pimentel's insights noteworthy is he’s not just a researcher; he’s also a clinician, and it’s the process of taking that information and applying it to humans where we learn so much. This is an episode you’ll want to refer back to—share with someone who could use this information!
Mark Pimentel, MD, is Professor of Medicine at Geffen School of Medicine and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. Active in research, Dr. Pimentel has served as a principal investigator or co-investigator for numerous basic science, translational and clinical studies in such areas as IBS and the relationship between gut flora composition and human disease.
Dr. Pimentel is a co-founder of Gemelli Biotech™, a specialty biotechnology company focused on developing novel diagnostics and therapeutics for the human microbiome. In 2018 they launched the commercial availability of ibs-smart™, a second-generation blood test for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). ibs-smart™ offers an advancement in the specificity and accuracy of measuring two antibodies (anti-CdtB and anti-vinculin) in diagnosing Diarrhea Predominant and Mixed-Type IBS (IBS-D and IBS-M).
In this episode:
Why today’s guest is particularly noteworthy [1:08]
Why Mark Pimentel continues his research [8:42]
What is the leading cause of IBS? [10:37]
The value behind the ibs-smart™ blood test [13:32]
Inferring antibody patterns in post-infectious IBS [16:23]
New research that debunks two widely accepted concepts about SIBO [21:41]
The overlap between post-infectious IBS and SIBO [23:26]
New info on PPI (proton pump inhibitor) use and SIBO [27:45]
The potential problem with akkermansia as a probiotic supplement & other single-organism treatments [30:43]
How does Intermittent Fasting or fluid affect the migrating motor complex & should these strategies be considered for IBS? [37:28]
Hydrogen sulfide and the trio-smart® breath test for SIBO [39:18]
How treatment differs for hydrogen-dominant SIBO (SIBO-D), Intestinal Methanogen Overgrowth (IMO) & hydrogen sulfide SIBO (H2S SIBO) [45:25]
Does constipation with H2S occur? [48:55]
The various types of bacteria that produce hydrogen gas [51:02]
The mechanism of action of lovastatin as future treatment for methane in constipation [53:26]
Using prokinetics for low motility [55:35]
Pimentel’s thoughts on the low FODMAP diet [56:56]
Resources mentioned:
1:1 Functional Medicine Nutrition
Mark Pimentel’s Twitter for recent publishings and other findings
Ibs-smart™: Blood Test For IBS
Hydrogen, Methane and Hydrogen Sulfide | trio-smart®
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Coyote River Hemp Co CBD products (Save 10% & free shipping on your order with code FUNK10!)
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Learn More About Gut Health & Autoimmunity
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